Measure J Update - August 15, 2025

Phase One Facility Modernization Program Updates

Following the successful passage of Measure J in November 2024, with strong voter support at 66.7%, and the bond issuance in March 2025, planning is well underway for our Phase One Facility Modernization Program at Arroyo, Beswick, and Loma Vista Elementary Schools.

This past spring and summer, Huckabee Architects and Ruhnau Clarke Architects partnered with school stakeholders to envision adaptable, future-ready learning spaces tailored to each campus’s needs. These collaborative efforts have produced schematic designs that reflect both innovation and community input. Finalized designs for all three campuses are expected to be completed soon and will be presented to the Board in the coming months for review and feedback.

Investing in Safety and Student Well-Being

At Tustin Unified, student safety and mental health remain at the heart of everything we do. Over the past several years, we’ve expanded resources to support student well-being and provided staff with comprehensive emergency response training. Now, thanks to funding from Measure J and federal school safety grants, we’re taking the next steps to strengthen campus security across the district.

These enhancements include:

• Live video doorbells to monitor and manage visitor entry

• Visitor management and screening systems for added protection

• Live security cameras across campuses

• One-way window films on front entrances to improve safety without impacting visibility from inside

Live video doorbells were introduced last school year, and following this summer’s work they are now installed at all campuses except Beckman High School, where front gate access is managed by staff. Secondary campuses have expanded their camera systems, with more installations planned districtwide in the coming year. One-way window films are already in place at Orchard Hills, Heideman, and Hicks Canyon, with more campuses to follow. Our Phase One modernization schools will have these safety films installed as part of their upgrade projects.

With each improvement, we’re creating safer, more welcoming environments where students can focus on what matters most - their learning and development.

Caring for the Heart of Our District - The Tustin Education Center 

The Tustin Unified School District Office has been part of our community for decades, originally built from the auditorium of a former Tustin School more than 70 years ago. Today, it serves as the central hub for many of the District’s essential support and administrative services, including Business Services, Educational Services, Personnel Services, and Administrative Services. Additional on-site portables house departments such as Accounting, Purchasing, Nutrition Services, and Assessment and Accountability. In total, about 80 dedicated employees work here to keep our schools running smoothly.

In early 2021, during a routine facilities walkthrough with KNA Structural Engineers, we discovered significant roofing and structural concerns. Multiple truss failures and ruptured chords were identified in part of the building. For the safety of staff, we immediately installed additional structural supports and relocated employees who had been working in the affected area. That section of the building has remained unoccupied since, as safety remains our top priority.

This discovery highlighted the importance of maintaining and modernizing our facilities so that our employees, who serve every student and family in our district, can continue their work in safe, reliable spaces.

Over the past year, we’ve listened closely to the input of our community, gathering valuable information from nearly 200 stakeholders, including our Parent, Certificated, and Classified Advisory groups, as well as the Facilities Committee. This feedback has helped guide our Board of Education toward an exciting vision: exploring the construction of a new Tustin Education Center in the Tustin Legacy area, a parcel of land given to the District as part of the redistribution of the former Marine Corps Air Station property.

The Tustin Education Center will be more than just an office building; it will be a safe, modern gathering place for our community and a centralized home for District staff. By bringing teams together under one roof, we can improve collaboration, efficiency, and service to our students and families.

Through careful and responsible planning, the District will secure the necessary resources to fund this project without impacting school funding. In keeping with the requirements of Measure J, which prohibits the use of funds for non-school purposes, no Measure J dollars will be used for the Tustin Education Center.

We remain committed to keeping our community informed as we make progress, not only on the Tustin Education Center, but also on our Facility Modernization Program and ongoing campus safety enhancements. Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting Tustin Unified, our students, our staff, and the programs that help them be successful.